


Hidden Talents

by Between_A_Dream



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F, Wynonna & Nicole bromance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 09:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11078655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Between_A_Dream/pseuds/Between_A_Dream
Summary: Nicole has a hidden talent that no one knows about, and when Wynonna discovers it she takes the opportunity to get something she wants in order to keep the secret from Waverly.





	1. Blackmail

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! So this is my first WayHaught fic and it started as a one shot but I thought a chapter story would work better in the end, hope you all enjoy!

It was late when the auburn haired officer walked into her apartment. Or, maybe it was early. She wasn't entirely sure. In fact, she shouldn't have even driven herself home, considering her eyes were too weary to properly read the digital clock she had kept on her desk, or the one in her car. All she knew was that she was relieved of her duties from the graveyard shift, and she couldn't wait to get home. When she opened the door, the sight in front of her brought a wide grin to her lips, despite her exhaustion.

There was Waverly, the brunette's head resting against the coffee table and her legs tangled underneath her in what looked to be a painfully uncomfortable position. There were research papers scattered about and what appeared to be a book from the early 1900's, considering its condition and it's yellowed pages. Of corse Waverly hadn't given in to her sleep deprivation until she literally passed out.

Letting out an amused but breathy laugh at the sight, Nicole decided to get dressed for bed before removing her lover from her position, in case Waverly wasn't willing to let her go and she would be forced to sleep in her uniform. She was quick to unbraid her red hair and let it fall freely to her shoulders, letting out a content sigh as she felt the tension in her head start to relieve itself. Doing her best to stay quiet as she slipped out of uniform, she pulled on a pair of sweatpants and an old baggy t-shirt that smelled like a mixture of her perfume and Waverly's naturally sweet scent. Only after mentally checking the boxes in her head that she was completely ready to be held in place for the night did she make her way back out into the living room.

Waverly had not moved from her position, and Nicole took it upon herself to just sit and stare for a moment to admire her sleeping lover. The youngest member of the Earp family had a faint smile on her lips where just the corners of her lips turned up, and her long brown hair was mildly sprawled over both the table and her face, partially covering her closed eyes. Eventually she made her way over to the petite woman and hooked an arm under her legs, while using her other to lift Waverly's back.

"Mm... Ni... Ole..." was all that the auburn haired woman could make out from the muffled voice coming from a half asleep Waverly, so the police officer only laughed and pressed her lips to her girlfriend's forehead in acknowledgement. As she made her way into the bedroom Waverly secured her arms around Nicole's neck and practically pulled her into bed beside her. Even in sleep, she maintained a secure hold on the taller woman, who could only laugh and wrap her arms around Waverly's torso.

* * *

Waverly woke to the smell of coffee drifting through the bedroom, and though it was a pleasant scent to wake to, she frowned when she noticed the sheets beside her were cold, because it meant Nicole had been up for some time now. The sun was already rising over Purgatory, casting a dim light over the dusty town, though it had not yet reached the height of the window in Nicole's bedroom. Waverly did her best to rouse herself from sleep and depart from the comfort of the blankets she was under, but as she stood she instantly regretted the decision to leave the warmth of the bed. But, she eventually decided that being warmed by Nicole's embrace was a much more indulgent use of time, so she groggily rubbed her eyes and made her way into the kitchen. She couldn't contain a smile.

Nicole had her back turned, facing the coffee machine as she swayed gently to a song that Waverly hadn't noticed was playing until she laid eyes on her lover. She didn't make her presence known immediately, instead staying put in the doorway to watch her auburn haired girlfriend for a few moments. It was only when she turned and saw Waverly leaning against the doorframe that Nicole noticed she wasn't alone and she jumped slightly, only relaxing when her eyes adjusted and recognized the figure before her.

"Woah there officer, take it easy," Waverly laughed, holding her hands up in mock surrender. Nicole grinned widely and made her way over to her lover, pulling her into a gentle kiss. "Morning Haught stuff," Waverly grinned as the cop blushed madly at the pet name.

"Morning yourself. Did you sleep well?" Nicole asked, turning back to the coffee machine, partially because it had stopped and beeped to signify that it was finished, but also because she wanted to avoid having her blush seen any more than it already had been.

"Yeah. I don't remember getting into bed though," now that she thought about it, Waverly didn't remember much of the previous night. She knew Dolls had her working on some research for the BBD, but everything after that was a blurred jumble.

"Yeah, you were passed out when I got home," Nicole explained with a chuckle. Waverly smiled and wrapped her arms around the taller woman from behind.

"Well aren't you just a bedtime hero," she grinned.

"Nothing but the best for you my love," Nicole gave a smile back and turned her bed to peck the brunette's lips briefly. "Now hurry up, we have work soon," she giggled, throwing a wink towards her lover before turning back to the coffee pot.

* * *

"Hey Haught stuff," the now commonplace nickname stirred Nicole from her thoughts, but it did not come from the Earp sister she was dating and head over heels for, rather her older and less-by-the-book sister.

"Hey Wynonna," she didn't glance up from what she was working on- In fact, she did her best to make sure Wynonna's eyes didn't land anywhere near the paper. This was something not work related, but more important than any of the documents she knew she would eventually have to get done.

"Where's the donut box? I'm in for a major study session with Waves and I need some fuel," she asked, her eyes scanning the room. Nicole simply pointed towards the box on the opposite table and the oldest member of the Earp family made her way over to the box, but when she opened the lid, the ginger heard the most unpleasant whimper of her life.

"Doc! I'm gonna kill you!" Wynonna shouted angrily.

"I'd like to see you try sweetheart!" came the response from down the hall.

Nicole let out a laugh and shook her head, to which the dark haired woman whipped her head to the side to glare at the police officer.

"What's so funny? I don't see you-" she was suddenly cut off when her eyes caught sight of what was in Nicole's hand. "Hey, whatcha got there?" she asked, gesturing to Nicole's hand.

"Oh, uh, nothing, just work," the ginger answered a little too quickly, and Wynonna shook her head.

"Work... With a sketchbook... Right," Wynonna raised an eyebrow at the cop and held out her hand. Nicole shook her head, and a moment later the two were in a jumbled mess, Wynonna doing her best to get her hands on the sketchbook while the other tried to keep her eyes off the book. "Come on Nickyyyyy! I just wanna seeeee," Wynonna dragged out the last word and the pet name she had oh-so rightfully decided she would use for the ginger cop just after she found out about the relationship she was in with her sister. Before Nicole could protest the eldest Earp sister snatched the book from her hand and opened it to the page her friend had marked.

Nicole groaned and let her head fall to the desk, awaiting Wynonna's critique of what was on the page. It never came. She lifted her head to see the older woman staring at the page incredulously, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape.

"Did... Did you draw this?" she asked. On the page was a drawing of Waverly, but it looked to Wynonna more like a black and white photograph. There wasn't a single detail that the ginger cop had failed to include. Her slightly crooked smile, the arch of her eyebrows, every lock and inch of her long wavy hair. Nicole's face went as red as her hair and she snatched the sketch book back, closing it quickly.

"So... What if I did? I... I mean, it's not-" the ginger was cut off.

"Haught stuff, I swear on peacemaker here if you say it's not good I will personally break your hand," Wynonna interrupted. "Are you seeing this? It looks incredible! Have you always been able to draw?" the dark haired woman now seemed intrigued and the officer shrugged.

"I mean I never had a big interest in it, not until after high school anyways. But I still never was really big into art until..." she trailed off and Wynonna smiled knowingly. She didn't need Nicole to finish to know she meant that Waverly had become her muse.

"Well, are you gonna give it to her?" she changed the subject quickly. Nicole shrugged.

"I wanted to give it to her for her birthday next week, but I don't know. What if she doesn't-" again the rookie was met with an interjection and she made a mental note that one day she would attempt to teach Wynonna some manners. Or at least, some common decency.

"She's gonna love it! I promise you, she's really big on the whole "gift from the heart" kind of stuff. Which is another reason why I don't understand why she dated Champ for so long, I mean the only gift he ever gave her was-" it was Wynonna's turn to stop talking when a loud and emphasized clearing of the throat was emitted from the officer. "Right, sorry," she laughed. "Well, I'll keep your secret..." Wynonna paused, her eyes trailing across the room to the empty donut box, "On one condition," she added with a smirk.

"And... That would be what?" Nicole was honestly afraid to ask.

"You're going to buy me donuts every day until her birthday. And they are mine. Doc and Dolls are not to touch them, and if they do I give you my permission to use that gun of yours," she grinned knowingly.

"But the only place that sells them is five miles out of my way! And they cost a ridiculous amount because they know they're the only ones with donuts within miles of this place!" Nicole protested loudly.

"Well, I guess you better choose. I get donuts, or Waverly finds out early how talented you are," whether it was Wynonna's strange attempt at a compliment or it was just her way of teasing, there was a genuine smile on the older woman's face for a few brief moments.

"Clock's ticking Haught dog, better make your choice," and just like that she was back to her tantalizing, overly sarcastic self. Nicole groaned and let her head fall back to the desk.

"It's going to be a long week."


	2. Secrets

As Nicole walked into the cafe, the scent of coffee beans and pastries hit her nostrils like a wave. Removing her Stetson, she let out a sigh. Considering it was a half hour back to the station, there was no way Wynonna's order of donuts would be ready in a short enough amount of time that would get her to work without being late. She sighed and made her way to the counter, giving a small smile when the owner walked out.

"Hey there Nicole, what can I do for you?" Jessie was someone Nicole had gotten to know over the past few months living in Purgatory, and she ran the cafe by herself. Despite the fact that the cafe itself wasn't in the town, it was the closest one to it, and the shop owner knew most of its residents.

"Um, well can you do-" Nicole paused to look down at her phone, "Can you do this?" she finished, holding the screen up so Jessie could read. The older woman let out a laugh.

"That's a mighty specific order there," she chuckled. "Is this for that girl of yours?" Jessie questioned with a teasing grin, causing the ginger officer to blush as red as her hair.

"No, it's actually for her sister," she explained.

"They're for Wynonna? Better make sure these are top quality then," even someone who rarely saw the Earp heir in person knew how seriously she took donuts. Nicole gave a small nod and took a seat at a table nearby. The shop was relatively empty, and the order came out within fifteen minutes sharp. That was remarkably quicker than the cop had expected, but it still wasn't enough to get her to the station before she was considered late. It wasn't like anyone in Purgatory would get fired from the police station, considering how hard it had been to hire enough to form even an entire force, and being a member of the BBD certainly helped her case, but she didn't want Waverly to be suspicious of her absence.

"Thank you Jessie, you're a lifesaver," Nicole thanked the woman with a gracious smile, but her opinion of the woman dwindled once more after her payment of $25.95. "Jesus Christ," she muttered on the way out of the shop. "They're literally just donuts."

* * *

Nicole was careful that morning as she made her way through the station. She held Wynonna's donut order in one hand and did her best to avoid Waverly. Not that it was easy, both because she hated not seeing the younger Earp sister and because it seemed that over the past few months she ha developed the ability to detect when they were in vicinity of each other. And she certainly wouldn't be hard to miss while carrying a large box of donuts.

She let out a sigh of relief when she made it to the BBD office without incident. She still hadn't gotten used to knocking on the door so she entered without verbal permission, something to which Dolls seemed to ignore only because he was so focused on whatever paperwork was in front of him. Wynonna was leaned back in her own chair, her legs up on the desk and her hands behind her head.

"Hey there Haught stuff! Are those what I think they are?" she asked with a grin as she stood.

"Yep. Four donuts with frosting, two chocolate two strawberry, both with sprinkles but rainbow on the chocolate and chocolate on the strawberry, three with powdered sugar but one that has enough on it that you can't actually see the donut, two with white icing and enough coconut to cover the icing but nothing more, and three with maple brown sugar icing and chocolate chips on top but no where else, none of them touching," Nicole ran through the checklist of specific orders in her head and handed the box to the older woman with a sigh. "I'm now out $26, so thanks for that," she grumbled as she handed her the box.

"Sorry," Wynonna mumbled, completely unapologetically, through a bite of a donut she already had picked out.

"Sorry for what?" Dolls asked, not bothering to look up from his papers.

"Nicole has a secret, and now I get free donuts," Wynonna gave her answer with a simple tone, and it was only then that the older man raised his eyes to look between the two women.

"So you took finding out someone's secret as an opportunity for blackmail," he didn't ask, more explained out loud, as if he'd already confirmed what should have been a question.

"Hey don't judge," the darker haired woman shrugged.

"Don't judge what?" Waverly's voice came from behind them and Nicole froze for a brief moment.

"My love for donuts," Wynonna saved the ginger cop with a quick and nonchalant answer.

"Yeah Dolls, lay off, let the woman have her fried calories," the younger girl teased with a laugh. "Hey you," she smiled, her tone softer and genuine as she pulled Nicole into a kiss.

"Can't you guys go and do that anywhere else?" Wynonna groaned, pulling out a second donut from the box.

"Not exactly, considering we're both members of BBD now," Waverly let out a laugh but didn't break the kiss completely.

"Actually," Dolls interrupted them, "There's not much I have to work on today, so unless any revenants or other creatures of the night show up, I probably won't need you very much," he finished.

"Great! Then we can go hang in your office!" Waverly giggled as she took her blushing girlfriend's hand, already leading her down the hall.

"Hey! No screwing my bumper sticker at work!" Wynonna shouted down the hall after them.

"You're worried about Nicole being screwed, not Waverly."

"Save the commentary Dolls, she still owes me five boxes of donuts."

* * *

"It feels weird to be turning 22 next week," Waverly's voice interrupted the silence. Currently the two were lying on opposite ends of Nicole's couch with their legs entangled and had spent the past hour talking with each other. The ginger woman only had the couch and the office thanks to the curtesy of Dolls telling Nedley she was to be promoted to deputy and given her own complete office, and if he refused he could have him fired with Nicole taking his place.

Since Nicole had found out about the revenants and BBD, they hadn't had much time to just sit and talk, but they both liked to do it and they took the opportunities they could to do so.

"Yeah? Why's that pretty lady?" the taller woman asked as she flashed a smile to her lover, satisfied with the faint hint of a blush that crept up on her cheeks.

"I don't know, birthdays are always weird. I always think back to my last one and I think about how different I am. And dating Champ for so long... Well I never really changed. I just stayed the same old Waverly. I was Champ's girlfriend. That was my role. I didn't study anything but the Earp curse, and I hid so much of who I was. But now... Everything is so different. I'm different. And it feels wonderful to be free," Waverly couldn't contain her smile as she looked at her girlfriend across the couch.

"You never cease to amaze me with that wondrous brain of yours," Nicole gave a genuine smile and after a moment Waverly matched her. It had felt strange at first to the younger Earp sister, being complimented on anything other than her looks. She had always known she was smart, but smart wasn't pretty and pretty was how she got boys like Champ. But, once the police offer had entered the picture, it hadn't been hard to figure out that she didn't want boys like Champ, she wanted women like Nicole. And eventually, she just wanted Nicole.

Waverly sat up from her position and maneuvered her way out from Nicole's legs, but it was only so she could lean across the couch and press their lips together.

"I love you," she mumbled into the kiss. Nicole's cheeks were instantly on fire. They had only said "I love you" to each other enough times to count with their hands, and the feelings, while positive, were all very new for the both of them.

"I love you too," she smiled up at the brunette and resumed to kiss her. The kiss went on until a loud throat clearing came from across the room and ripped the two women apart.

"Dolls?" Waverly asked, looking up and allowing Nicole to sit up.

"Sorry to um... Interrupt... But we've got some revenant activity across town," he explained, darting his eyes down to the floor.

"Alright, we'll be right-" Nicole started, but before she could continue Nedley barged in past Dolls.

"Haught, whatever BBD needs is gonna have to wait, we've got a three car pile up just outside the city gate," he explained quickly. Both women stood quickly and Nicole grabbed her gun and her Stetson.

"I'll see you later Wave," she leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek for a brief moment, and the two quickly went their separate ways to deal with their separate disasters.

* * *

It was 7:00 at night and Nicole was still home alone. Waverly had texted at 5:00 to let her know things were alright, but Dolls had hit his head and possibly had a small concussion, so they were waiting to find out at the hospital. Considering the closest hospital was an hour out of town, and that was just assuming that's the one they decided to head to, Nicole was well aware she was going to be spending some time alone, and she had prepared herself. She made sure to stock up on snacks, knowing she wouldn't herself be energized enough to actually cook dinner, and had gotten herself dressed in a pair of more comfortable clothing before settling down on the couch with her sketch pad in hand.

Her drawing of Waverly was probably finished. In fact, for most people, it had probably been good enough to call finished days ago. But this was Nicole, and she wanted it to be perfect, so she spent her time working on details so small she was hardly sure anyone else would notice. Champ certainly wouldn't, a thought that brought a slight arrogant smirk to her face. It wasn't that she felt possessive over Waverly, or that she considered the youngest Earp sister a prize to be won, but the ginger cop felt good knowing she was allowed to be with her, to kiss her and hold her and love her, and Champ wasn't.

As she continued her work, she let herself get lost in the drawing, lost in the image of her brunette lover. She was in a world of her own, until she heard the door opening and her mind was ripped from her thoughts.

"Nicole?" Waverly called as she entered, smiling when she found her girlfriend sitting on the couch with a smile on her face. "Hey, what are you doing in here?" she asked, walking over and leaning down to kiss the auburn haired woman briefly.

"I uh... I slept for a little and I just woke up, and I heard you coming a few minutes later," she lied, her heart racing.

"Oh, I'm sorry that we took so long babe, I wish I could've been home sooner," Waverly called as she entered the kitchen. "What do you say to me making us some dinner and we watch a movie?" she asked.

"Sounds good," Nicole answered, and as she did so she grabbed her sketchbook from under the couch and raced into her bedroom. A quick survey of the room gave the officer only one option for hiding. She ran to the bed and it under her side of the mattress, praying Waverly wouldn't find it until she could give it to her properly.


	3. Request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wynonna has some requests for Nicole, and as Waverly's birthday approaches they worry over how to make sure it's memorable for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with this story! I'm sorry it's been so long since an update, but I hope you enjoy the chapter! I promise I will be updating more frequently from now on! As always reviews are always appreciated and read hundreds of times!

Staying at home was definitely what Nicole would have preferred to do. Waverly was curled up in bed, pale as a ghost and puking her guts out, and the ginger cop was anything but happy to be at work.  
  
"Hey Haught shot, why so blue?" Wynonna's voice sounded from behind her, and she turned to see the oldest member of the Earp family standing with a donut in one hand and peacemaker in her other, twirling the gun between her fingers.  
  
"Waverly's sick," she explained with a sigh. "She wouldn't let me stay home and take care of her, but she's got some really nasty bug and I want to help," Nicole grumbled as she pulled out her sketchbook.  
  
"She is?" the older woman was surprised, Waverly rarely got sick, and when she was, it was even less common that she would admit it.  
  
"Yeah, she's got some kind of flu, I think," Nicole was visibly worried, and though she didn't like that her sister was ill, Wynonna felt a small surge of relief that the officer was so worried. Of course, she wasn't about to admit this, so instead she opted for some teasing.  
  
"Take good care of her Haught ass, seeing as how she practically lives with you now," she grinned. Nicole blushed and forced back a smile. It was true- Waverly owned a spare key, slept at her house four or five times a week, and had over half her wardrobe in the auburn haired woman's closet.  
  
"Well, it's good you're distracting yourself with drawing, because I have a request," the darker haired woman took a seat in the chair opposite her.  
  
"A request?" it was only at these words that Nicole looked up from her work.  
  
"A drawing request. I want you to draw something that you think represents me," Wynonna explained. "And, in return, I'll doc your donut debt by half. Only six a day from now on," she suggested, raising an eyebrow at the ginger.  
  
"Well... Okay, I guess I can figure something out," Nicole agreed, flipping a few pages in to a clean page with no indented marks.  
  
"But I don't want a portrait. I want something that represents me internally. So... Whatever you think that is," Wynonna instructed.  
  
"Got it chief," Nicole saluted her with two fingers, keeping her eyes on the page.  
"Good. I expect this finished by the time Wave turns 22, so you have three days," the oldest Earp sister reminded her, as if Nicole actually needed reminding of when her lover's birthday was.  
  
The cop only answered her with a nod of the head and turned to a new page of her sketch book, her mind working to find a proper way to represent the older woman.

* * *

It was late when Nicole returned home to find Waverly passed out on the couch, her body cocooned in a myriad of blankets. There were discarded tissues on the table and her face had a sickly wax look, alongside being incredibly pale.Sighing at how sick she appeared, Nicole walked to her side and kneeled down beside her, pressing her lips to the youngest Earp sister's forehead. She stirred slightly and let her eyes falter open, her pupils dilated the white of her eyes bloodshot.  
  
"Nicole?"  
  
"Hey baby," the auburn haired woman ran a hand over Waverly's forehead and pressed a kiss to her cheek, letting her lips linger for a few moments to confirm what her skin was telling her. "God Waves, you're boiling," she ran to the kitchen to grab a thermometer and held it under the brunette's tongue. When she pulled it back the temperature read 101°. "Do you think you could stomach some soup?" Nicole questioned, gently stroking her thumb over Waverly's face. The sick woman let out a small groan and coughed, rolling onto her side and burying her face in her lover's shoulder.  
  
"I ot ngy," came the muffled response. Nicole laughed and leaned back enough that her girlfriend's mouth was uncovered.  
  
"Can we try some English now?" she chuckled, stroking a few pieces of stray hair behind the brunette's ear.  
  
"I'm not hungry," it was still muffled and came out as a half hearted response, but this time Nicole could at least comprehend the words.  
  
"I know baby, but I really need you to try and eat. Please? For me?" she poked out her bottom lip, just enough to form a pout, and Waverly let out a whimper in protest, but she nodded regardless. Nicole pressed her lips to the brunette's forehead and let them remain for a few moments before standing and making her way to the kitchen.

* * *

Only when she was positive Waverly was asleep did Nicole feel confident enough to pull out her sketchbook and work on her drawing. This time, instead of working on her portrait of the sleeping Earp, she was busy trying to draw what represented Wynonna to her. But of course she couldn't just draw the snarky older woman's portrait, she had to represent her in a metaphoric way. Nicole didn't like drawing things that didn't exist. She could draw almost anything, as long as it was physically there.  
  
But with nothing to go by, no picture to look at or memory to think of, forced to rely on nothing but her pure imagination as inspiration for her drawing, she felt her head starting to hurt even trying to think about it.  
  
"Stupid Wynonna, with her stupid blackmail and her stupid drawing and her stupid donuts," Nicole muttered to herself under her breath and let out a groan, flipping to yet again another clean page. "I'm talking to a notepad of paper," she let herself realize out loud. It was then that she noticed the black figure sitting on the armrest of the couch and she looked into the illuminated green eyes of Calmity Jane, staring at her with a slight head tilt.  
  
"I swear to you CJ, I'm going insane."  
  
She only blinked at Nicole, her ear twitching slightly before she licked her paw a few times. The small bundle of black fur jumped down and padded into the kitchen across the room, and left the ginger police officer wondering if it was crazier to talk to a sketchbook or a cat.

* * *

Waverly woke to a silent room, and she groaned as she attempted to sit up.

"God, does it usually take this many muscles?" she whimpered aloud, eventually being forced to use the couch cushions to help pull herself up. She felt like her back was in knots and for a full minute, no matter how many times she rubbed her eyes, she couldn't clearly see anything.  
  
Only when her sight finally did adjust did she notice that Nicole was nowhere in sight and that the apartment was strangely quiet. Calamity Jane sat curled up on the living room chair, which meant that the ginger officer wasn't there, because if she was then the feline would have been by her side. Waverly's eyes scanned the room until she saw a note on the coffee table written in Nicole's impossibly small but neat handwriting.  
  
"Hey babe, Nedley called in and I had to work an extra shift, you fell asleep earlier so there's soup in the fridge. Should be back around 2:30 A.M., sorry it has to be so late! :( Eat slow, stay hydrated, and there's some medicine on the counter if you want it, it's supposed to help soothe stomach pain. Please please please take some if you feel any discomfort! Love you! -Nicole"  
  
Waverly felt an impossible-to-control smile creep it's way onto her lips and she laughed, setting the note back down in its place. It took some effort and some serious motivation that Waverly had no clue as to the origin of, but she eventually managed to make it to the kitchen. Even in shorts and a tank top it felt like her body was in a sauna so she splashed some water on her face to help her cool off, but the instant the water touched her skin she was freezing again. Doing her best to touch as little as possible, Waverly opened the fridge and pulled out the bowl of soup sitting on the top shelf.  
  
As she waited for it to heat up in the microwave, she noticed Nicole's phone sitting on the table. It wasn't odd for the red head to forget it when she worked late, normally because Waverly was asleep and even if she wasn't she rarely had time to sneak in more than a text message or two. She chuckled and shook her head, a smile crawling over her lips as she took a moment to appreciate her adorable forgetful girlfriend. A few moments later, the thing that caught the brunette's eye, however, wasn't the phone itself, but instead a text that lit up the front screen from Wynonna. It was odd that her sister was texting, even more so at such a strange hour.  
  
"Remember our deal. You have two days to get this done, and I'd make it sooner if you want that donut price to be any lower. Anyways, I need your help. Call me when you can."

* * *

Nicole could only smile as she saw Wynonna walk into the police station.  
  
"Hey there Haught stuff," she heard the older woman greet her and she set aside her paperwork.  
  
"Hi Wynonna. What brings you here at-" she paused to look at the clock on her desk, "12:30 in the morning? I never took you as a person to skip an opportunity to sleep," the ginger officer chuckled.  
  
"I'm not, but I... Well I need your help, and you didn't answer your phone," the darker haired brunette finally admitted.  
  
"Sorry, I left it at my place, I don't usually bring it when I'm working late. Also... Did Wynonna Earp herself just ask me for help?" the officer chuckled, and for a brief moment, Nicole wondered what on earth Wynonna actually needed help with, let alone would ask for it.  
  
"I need to do something special for Waverly's birthday," she explained. Nicole supposed that was the only thing that made sense. "I just... It's been so long since I've actually been here for one, and I really want to make it special, you know? Try to make up for it a little?"  
  
"I get that. I don't get off for another hour, but after that we can go do some brainstorming. But Wynonna, I promise you that Waverly will love whatever you do for her," the auburn haired officer assured her.  
  
"Well, the same goes for you Haught shot," now the eldest member of the Earp family was starting to sound more like herself. "How is my drawing coming along by the way?"  
  
"Nearly finished," it was a lie- Nicole had barely even started- But she wasn't about to admit that. She'd gladly buy another two full dozen donuts than admit she was at a loss. Thankfully, Wynonna didn't question her, but whether or not she believed her or just decided not to push was unclear. Nevertheless, the minute her shift was over the two women were out of the building as fast as they could move, mostly at Wynonna's wishes.  
  
"So, what do you have in mind?" Nicole asked as they walked to the parking lot.  
  
"Just follow me, I'll show you what I have already," Wynonna explained. The ginger could only chuckle and shake her head as she watched the older woman jump in her truck. She had never seen the heir so nervous before, and honestly it was endearing if anything, seeing her so worried over what Waverly would think. Not that she had much room to talk. She was just as anxious over Waverly's reaction to her drawing, and aside from her lack of inspiration for an idea, her nerves were a big part of the reason she had yet to really start anything for Wynonna. Every time she even opened her sketch book, she ended up doing another once over of her portrait of her girlfriend and forcing herself to try and make it look better in any way she could.  
  
The officer was ripped from her thoughts as she parked her cruiser behind Wynonna's truck and she realized they were back on the homestead.  
  
"Come on, I'll show you what I have," Wynonna lead the ginger woman to the barn, and Nicole paused for a brief moment. The last time she had been inside the barn was when she was caught making out with Waverly, and her cheeks burned brightly at the memory.

  
"Hey Haught face, are you gonna stand there grinning like an idiot or are you coming in?" Wynonna's voice tore her away from her thoughts and she quickly followed after her, choking back a nervous laugh.

* * *

She had to admit, the barn looked exceptionally nice. There were fairy lights strung around the perimeter of the ceiling and wrapped around the beams, and all furniture in the center of the barn had been pushed to the sides to create a wide space in the center. There were mason jars hanging with lights inside down from the corners, and the ground had been covered in a thick blue rug that hid the years of stains and worn floor.  
  
"It looks nice in here," Nicole observed as she took in her surroundings.  
  
"Thanks, but I don't just want it to look nice, I want it to be spectacular. I've missed so many birthdays for so long... I just really want this one to be special for her," Wynonna admitted with a sigh, slumping down against the wall with her head in her hands. Nicole moved to sit beside her and sighed.  
  
"Wynonna, I know that you're worried, and you have every right to be. I'm sure Waverly is still hurt that you guys haven't been together for so long, but you're here now, and she appreciates that. I can tell. Whatever we come up with, I promise you this will be a great birthday for her because you'er here," Wynonna lifted her head to stare at the officer sitting beside her.  
  
"Yeah... Whatever bumpersticker," she mumbled, nudging the ginger's shoulder and doing her best to hide her blush. Nicole grinned, and the older woman sighed. "But it's also gonna be great because you're here too. She deserves someone who cares for her like you do," if that wasn't Wynonna's way of saying she approved of their relationship, Nicole wasn't sure what was, so she smiled and nodded, standing and holding out her hand.  
  
"Well come on, we aren't going to get anything done sitting around on our asses."

* * *

"Wave?" Nicole heard her voice echo through the house as she called out, something she only did because she knew by the way the lights were on that Waverly was awake. She hated sleeping with the lights on, and even if she were too exhausted to move she wouldn't sleep until they were off. When she looked at the clock she realized she was an entire hour later than she had originally said she would be home, and she hoped Waverly would buy a half hearted excuse about needing to stay later than she expected to finish some paperwork.  
  
"In here!" the response came from their bedroom and the officer walked inside to see the brunette curled under a pile of blankets. She grinned and stripped off her uniform shirt, pulling on a black tanktop over her bra. She then sat on the edge of the bed and kicked off her pants and shoes, double checking that her gun was unloaded before placing it in the bedside drawer. It was only then that she allowed herself to curl up beside Waverly, smiling as she pressed a kiss to the shorter woman's forehead. Her fever had gone down noticably, which was a good sign.  
  
"Felling better?" she asked, brushing a few strands of hair from her girlfriend's face.  
  
"Yeah, just cold," she gestured to the blankets and Nicole laughed.  
  
"Cold enough for a bonus blanket?" the red head's eyebrow rose and Waverly giggled as she opened her arms to allow the taller woman to curl into her side.  
  
"I'm glad you're feeling better," she mumbled against Waverly's head as she pressed a kiss against her hair.  
  
"Me too. But I do have to ask you something," the younger Earp sister pulled back a slight bit to look up at her lover in the eye. "Why is my sister calling and texting you in the middle of the night for help?"


	4. Get The Party Started

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!! I know it's literally been forever since this was updated, but I promise that I will have the next chapter up much sooner!! Next chapter is the party and the end of the story, and I'm glad you guys have stuck with it. I hope you enjoy this one and stick around for the ending coming soon!!

Waverly stood with her arms crossed over her chest, staring impatiently at her girlfriend, who was staring at her like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Well? I'm waiting?" she raised an eyebrow, and Nicole let out a nervous laugh.

"Well... Well I... You see, we were... It's a surprise!" she finally stuttered out. Waverly looked unconvinced, but not angry. In fact, she almost seemed amused, and it was then that the officer knew she wasn't exactly in trouble, but she at least owed an explanation.

"A surprise," it wasn't a question, more of a pointed accusation. Nicole gave her a sheepish, guilty grin, her doe eyes dripping with false innocence.

"For your birthday?" her voice cracked on the last word and the clarification quickly squeaked out into a question. Waverly's lips hinted at a smirk, and without uncrossing her arms she walked past the officer with a small laugh.

"Well, when you're done with that, I'll be upstairs," with that, the younger Earp stalked across the room, waving her hips more than necessary and winking as she turned to walk up the stairs. Suddenly Nicole forgot about the party, and after a moment of gawking after her girlfriend, she raced up the steps after her.

* * *

It was 3:00 in the morning when Nicole got the idea. She wasn't entirely sure what sparked it, but she wasn't in the mood to question it. Waverly was curled up into her side, sleeping peacefully with her arms draped around her neck, and the ginger could feel a steady stream of breath tickling against the skin of her throat.

She hadn't exactly been awake, but she wasn't sleeping either, instead lying back with her eyes closed, her body tangled under a mess of blankets and her girlfriend, and when it hit her, she almost sat straight up. In fact, if it weren't for the constrictions holding her back, she would have.

Carefully maneuvering her way out from underneath her girlfriend's hold, she replaced the blankets back around her body before slipping out of her bedroom, grabbing her sketchbook under the bed and carefully padding into the living room. Calamity Jane sat perched on the couch, staring at her through the darkness, and Nicole ran a gentle hand over her ears before flicking on the dim lamp beside her.

Settling down on the couch and propping her knees up, she flipped to a blank page and chuckled as she began to draw. If this didn't represent Wynonna, she wasn't sure what did.

* * *

When Nicole walked into work later that morning, her hair slightly disheveled from an early morning "birthday present" for Waverly, Wynonna was sitting lazily in a chair at the front desk, her feet propped up and a coffee in hand. She was quick to pick up on the officers after-sex grin and body language, but she said nothing about it.

Instead she smiled at the ginger, opening her mouth to ask her about her donuts, but before she could she was hit square in the face with a sketchbook. Stumbling backwards a bit in surprise, she almost yelled at Nicole, until it fell open into her lap and she could tell what she was looking at.

On the paper in front of her was an accurate drawing of peacemaker, the symbols on its barrel colored in a glowing yellowish orange. The gun was aimed at a donut on the opposite side of the paper, drawn complete with sprinkles and all, and the bullet hit square in the center, knocking a donut hole out from the middle. A second donut was drawn underneath, rung around the neck of a bottle of whiskey.

Wynonna couldn't hold back a laugh at the drawing, and soon she was doubled over, giggling madly at the picture.

"Wow Haughtstuff, I really gotta hand it to you, this is pretty good," she complimented, admiring the picture as she held it out in front of her.

"So am I done with the donuts now?" she asked hopefully.

"Oh no no no, I said I would cut it in _half_ , not that you're done," the heir chuckled with a smirk. Nicole's eyes widened and her shoulders sagged as she let out a groan. "I'm guessing you have a trip to make," she teased.

"Piss off," the auburn haired woman muttered. Grabbing her sketchbook and tearing out the page with Wynonna's drawing, she spun around and stalked angrily back out towards her cruiser, leaving the older woman still sitting in her chair, giggling like a mad woman and taking another sip of her coffee.

* * *

Half a dozen donuts, two cups of coffee, and a boring day stuck at the sheriff's department later, Wynonna was running around the barn at the homestead nervously, doing her best to make sure everything was in order.

"Are you sure it looks okay? Because maybe we could try and move the tables over there-" at this point, Nicole was blocking her words out, because every time they changed something the older woman would turn around and change it back, and it was wasting time. But, it was getting increasingly difficult to ignore her when she didn't get the hint and kept talking.

"Because if we keep the tables here then someone could fall on that bump in the floor and then they could get hurt, and then the whole party would be ruined and Waverly would feel so bad and guilty and-"

"Wynonna!"

The ginger's sharp voice cut her off and she stopped mid sentence, startled a bit. Nicole stood and placed a hand on either shoulder, squeezing gently for reassurance.

"Wynonna, you have to relax. Everything looks perfect. Doc and Dolls are already on their way here, and Gus will be here soon after with her. Everything is finished, the place looks amazing, and Waverly is going to love it, I promise you. But you have to calm down," her words seemed to visibly relax the older Earp, and she nodded.

"Okay, okay. You're right," she nodded vigorously, shaking her head to clear her thoughts and exhaled loudly. "Everything's fine."

"Everything's perfect," Nicole promised with a smile. Though the words were meant to comfort Wynonna, there was a bit of self reassurance hidden inside as well. Despite knowing that Waverly would love the party and the fact that she could actually celebrate, she was still nervous about her own gift. She took a seat on a bench and leaned back against the wall, opening her sketchbook to the page with her drawing, letting out a shaky breath.

"Come on Haughtstuff, if I gotta be calm so do you," Wynonna chuckled and sat down on the floor beside her. "Waverly's gonna love it," she mimicked the officer's words from earlier, and Nicole offered her a grateful smile. Not long after, the distinct sound of two playfully arguing voices sounded from outside, and Dolls walked into the barn, Doc behind him, both freezing as they did so.

"Well my oh my," Doc breathed out as he stared at the sight in front of him.

"Damn Earp, you sure made an old barn sparkle," Dolls chuckled, clearly impressed.

"Thanks guys, but I couldn't have done any of it without Haughtsauce here," she grinned, nudging the blushing officer playfully.

The four sat chatting nonchalantly for awhile, until the sound of a truck pulling up pulled them out of their thoughts. Scrambling into a standing position and trying to hide their nervousness with smiles, the two women stood in the center of the barn and waited, while Doc and Dolls stood off to the side.

"I still don't understand why I have to wear this thing. Where are we even at?" Waverly's distinct voice sounded from outside and they walked through the barn doors, Gus holding her shoulder to guide her. Over her eyes was a black bandana wrapped around her head and tied in the back, and Wynonna had to force back a giggle. Gus nodded to her, then pulled the bandana off her eyes, and Waverly was left standing with wide eyes at the sight in front of her.

"Surprise!" they cheered simultaneously, and the younger woman's mouth fell open.

"I know it's not much of a party, and it's kinda small and short notice but I-" before Wynonna could finish Waverly threw herself into her sister's arms, throwing her arms around her and hugging her tightly. The older woman was knocked back a few steps and spun in a circle by the sheer force of the hug, but she laughed and held her close anyway.

"It's wonderful," Waverly laughed through her tears, wiping her eyes with her sleeve before turning to Nicole and engulfing the officer in a hug as well. She giggled and pressed a kiss against Waverly's head, holding her tight against her frame.

"I... I can't believe you guys did all this," she whispered, pulling back to marvel at the barn around her. Along with the lights strung around the walls, there were strings of rainbow streamers that cascaded from the ceiling to the floor, and balloons scattered randomly about the room. A long table sat against a wall that was covered in food, a cake, and drinks, with a small section at the end for gifts.

"Of course we did baby girl, you deserve a real birthday party, I'm so sorry it's taken so long," Wynonna held her head in shame, but Waverly was quick to shake her head and grab her hand.

"You're all here, and it's happening. It wouldn't matter whether it's now or 20 years ago. I just..." she trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes. As she laughed and wiped her cheeks again, Wynonna grinned and walked over to a small speaker, pressing a button on the top. A few seconds later, music began playing from the device, and Wynonna turned to the small crowd with a grin.

"Well, come on! Let's get this party started!"


End file.
